A few of me
by Eladrien
Summary: You know what? Screw everyone and especially the story! I'm going to join the Straw Hat Pirates on their adventure and I'm going to Rock the shit out of it. Come to think about it. I think the Straw Hats lack a decent helmsman. And who's better suited for the position than someone who can multiply. Hehe! SI as one of the Straw Hat pirates. (Rated M!)
1. The pleasure of death

**Ciaossu, Eladrien here!**

 **This is my first Fic, so I really hope you enjoy it.  
Something you should know: I'm German. So if you see something a little off with the grammar, just review to help me with it. Or not. It's your live. ;)  
A better solution would be a Beta reader, but I don't have one of those at the moment (I'm working on it).**

 **I've recently reread the One Piece manga and had the "very original" thought "I wish I could live there", which brought me to the SI section of this site. The problem was that there weren't many good ones available and the good ones were either on hiatus or discontinued. So I decided that I would write my own.  
This is an One Piece story, but it also contains one or two elements form Marvel (especially the power of Jamie Madrox (a.k.a. Multiple Man)). It's not really a crossover (I think).  
There probably won't be any relationships in my story (I don't really have the confidence for them). If there ever are any, they would only be implied.**

 **Summary: I didn't really think about the possibility of reincarnation, but… "Here I am! And I'm here to stay!" is what I would like to say. In reality I'm just so excited to meet my childhood heroes, that there weren't any other options than to go on an adventure with them. How could I, when such an opportunity shows itself. I'm going to have the exciting life that I always wanted. SI!OC as one of the Straw hat pirates. (Rated M!)**

 **You should also note that I'm not the creator of One Piece. That would be Eiichiro Oda (A brilliant, brilliant man).**

 **Well without further ado...**

* * *

 **A few of me {Chapter 1}: The pleasure of death**

* * *

I'm dying.

I was trying to help and now I'm dying. Isn't it great?

I mean if you help someone, you would expect a reward or at least a thank you.

If I could choose between dying and reward, I'd think the answer is clear. But since when do we get what we want in this life?

Whoa… I think my beaten up mind makes me a little pessimistic and melancholic.

I'm really more of a realist. Even if there aren't many differences (according to me), I would like to think that I'm not constantly brooding about the unfairness of life. I accept it and move on.

Well that was how it should be, but I don't think there is much you can do, other than brooding, when you're lying on the floor of a public train station. Even more so when your body's broken and bleeding out.

Oh well… this is life, isn't it?

How did it even come to this?

I think it started out like every day does for me.

I know that I woke up earlier today, because I wanted to watch the newest episode of One Piece before going to my lecture this morning. I do this once a week for exactly this purpose.  
I mean, I could hardly wait till I get back in the afternoons, can I? The suspense would literally kill me.

After watching another piece of Eiichiro Odas genius work I got ready for class.

Looking in the mirror I saw the familiar sight. Golden brown eyes, "hidden" behind rectangular glasses, stared at me from a slightly rounded face. Shoulder length light-brown hair, slicked back to reveal a narrow forehead and an earring on the left earlobe. And to round up the looks: a little scar I received when I was a little kid and my grandfather tried to teach me how to defend myself with a knife (Bad idea!).

(I wouldn't really say that I'm one handsome 20 years old, but I'd like to think that I have above average looks.)

After finishing up and a 45 minute trip to the university I had to resign myself to 8 hours of boring lectures from our psychology professor, which had the ability to make the time crawl.

* * *

After finally being released from this personal hell at 11pm, I made my way to the train station while thinking about the latest One Piece chapter that was released sometime during my lecture.

However the exciting thoughts, of what could happen in this new chapter and how the Straw hats would surprise me this time, were abruptly interrupted when I heard screams further down the train station.

And that scream is what brought me to this point. You know? The dying part.

I thought it would be easy, if I just call the police and an ambulance before calling out to the four men to stop beating up this teenager.

Of course it wasn't or I wouldn't be lying here, bleeding out.

At this point things started to go downhill and the memories of the following events are almost none existent, but I got the gist of it.

They stopped beating up this kid.

They advanced on me.

And then decided that I make a much better victim.

I felt like such a cheap sacrifice. Yay! (Please note the sarcasm)

So… this is how I came to be lying here.  
I don't even know if the kid got away or if he still lays here somewhere near me. But at least the four men aren't here anymore. Although I find it unnerving that they got away scot free, but… what should I do about it?

I'm just lying here, waiting for the ambulance that I called and enjoying the last moments of my life… not. I somehow know that even if they make it here before I die, they wouldn't be able to save me.

Something in me tells me that this is it.

I'm dying and (fuck!) it is painful. Especially dying like this.

I even see my life flashing before my eyes (why not go out with a cliché). And what a boring life it was. I feel like such a loser, because I didn't even notice when my life became such a bore of a story. I didn't even have decent regrets for my life.

My only regret: _I didn't even get to read the newest One Piece Chapter._

Oh well… at least the pain finally vanished.

Isn't death such a pleasure for the wounded?

* * *

 **So… here it is!**

 **The first chapter of my first story. It's a little short as it's more of a prologue.  
The next chapter should definitely be longer**.

 **Please tell me what you think of it. :D  
Criticism is welcome, but flames are unnecessary.**

 **Ciao,**

 **Eladrien**


	2. The pleasure of new beginnings

**Ciaossu, Eladrien here!**

 **Here is chapter 2 for you. I hope you enjoy it. :D**

"Someone's talking"

' _You hear me thinking'_

"Someone's talking and I don't understand the language"

*Sound effects*

" **Technique names"**

 **You should note that I'm not the creator of One Piece. That would be Eiichiro Oda (A brilliant, brilliant man).**

 **Well without further ado...**

* * *

 **A few of me {Chapter 2}:** **The pleasure of new beginnings**

* * *

' _Wow, Death is even more boring than lectures!'_

That was the only thought I could muster while gazing into the infinite darkness.

Although it is a little difficult to gaze at something when you have no eyes and even more so when you have no body, but I somehow managed to do so. Or not. I don't really know what I do or how I do it.

Maybe I see nothing and the darkness is just my imagination or it's something so complex that I can't comprehend it with my puny human mind. Or maybe it's just really dark wherever I am. Who knows?

I just know this: ' _It's fucking boring!'_

I can't even describe how boring it is. The limit of boring was exceeded a long time ago. It became so much more a few hours ago. I think.

Since when am I even here (wherever here is)? Was it seconds, minutes, hours or maybe days? Maybe weeks or months?

That sucks! I don't even know how much time has passed. The only thing known to me is that I'm dead. I think. Was I even alive at one time?

Oh… YES! I was!

I seem to remember a family. A mother and a brother, maybe? Yes. A mother and a brother!

What were their names again? I… don't know.

That's sad. Am I crying? I don't know. I don't know anything about what I do at the moment.

They loved me and I loved them (I hope), but I can't remember their names. What were their names?

It's pointless! Where their names should be is nothing but emptiness.

At least I know my name, right? It is… What was it again?

No, no, no, no, no! I even forgot my own name! How could I? The name is something that identifies you. To forget something so crucial.

My mother gave me that name.

The same mother that I forgot about.

Maybe I deserve to forget my name, because I forgot my mother's name. Talk about poetic justice.

But what do I remember?

Almost nothing! How could I forget something that defines who I am? What I am?

The only thing I remember are stupid stories about a stupid Pirate crew… wait a minute!

' _Of course! One Piece!'_

And as if those thoughts were the key out of here, a blinding light began to shine in front of me. Only the fact that I had no body (and no eyes) prevented me from averting myself from the light.

And as the light began to engulf me, I began to feel my body again.

But as soon as it began I wished for it to end again. The sensation of this body was new. Too new for it to be mine. I didn't like it. It didn't hurt, but it was uncomfortable.

But the light continued on its course to consume me.

And as soon as the darkness completely vanished my vision begun to function again. Everything was blurry and bright, but I could still see. That was good! At least I could evaluate the situation.

* * *

All of a sudden I felt hands holding me up and saw a masked face gazing at me. Curiously I decided to gaze back, when all of a sudden I noticed that I couldn't breathe! It was agonizing to feel the need for oxygen and the burning of the throat. I know how to breathe, but I couldn't use that knowledge anymore. It was weird and terrifying.

But that abruptly ended when:

*WACK*

' _Ouch! Fuck you! What the hell was that for?'_ is what I intended to say, but the only thing escaping my mouth was this:

"Uwaaaaaahhhhhh!" and with that cry I could finally breathe once more.

It was loud, it was piercing and it came out of me. The fuck? I sound like… Oh no! What happened to my voice? Maybe I didn't die and was just in a coma. And to save me they had to do something to my vocal cords.

But wait a minute: I can hear something! And I hear someone talking. It sounds… weird?

"Oh! He's a lively one!" ' _Who is this? His voice sounds male. For fucks sake! Why can't I turn my head? I can't even move the rest of my body.'_

"He sure is. Like parent like child! Can I see him?" _'A woman? She sounds weak. And in what language are they talking to each other?'_

I felt myself being moved and saw myself being transported to a bed with a woman inside.

Even with my blurry sight I could see that this woman was exhausted.

' _Maybe she was the one who spoke the second time? She looks as weak as the voice sounded.'_

When we (the person who's holding me and I) were beside her bed I was gently lowered into her shaking arms.

' _Is this save? She looks like she would break at even the slightest bit of weight put on her.'_

As soon as I was in her arms I once again tried to move, to wiggle me free, but the only thing that got me was a tightening of the arms around me.

' _So she has strength left.'_

This caused me to cease both my movements and my crying and compelled me to look up at her face.

I was struck. She was beautiful. Her short golden hair matted against her head yet elegant at the same time. Her tired baby blue eyes looking at me in adoration and on her beautiful, but sweaty heart-shaped face a mouth set in a tired yet happy smile that would melt any man's heart. I lost as soon as I laid eyes on her and I couldn't help myself and smiled back and gave a tiny giggle.

' _Wait! I don't giggle! I give of sexy laughs, thank you very much!'_ And I so didn't pout as I had these thoughts!

"My, aren't you just a precious thing? You look just like your father, but you smile just like your mommy. Now, what to name you… What about Ren? No. Hmmm… Oh, I know. How does Weiss sound?" _'What? I can't understand a thing you say! I know. I just smile along to anything she says.'_

And so I did.

"You like it? That's good! I hoped to give you your name at least. Become a good man and make me proud, Tortuga D. Weiss!" _'Does she think that is my name? She said it while looking at me. Oh well, I don't remember my own name, so I think I can take that one for a while. It sounds badass. I always wanted a "D." in my name! But her voice sounds so final, so weak. What's wrong?'_

She took her shaking hand and petted my head with it. I didn't know that something so simple could be so… relaxing. I'm starting to get tired from it, too.

' _Sleeping doesn't sound so bad right now'_ I thought as I looked closer at the hand she was petting my hair with.

' _Whoa… it's like she is a giant or something. Her hand is bigger than my head'_ were my sleepy thoughts.

' _Wait… what?'_ I was fully awake again as I took in all the people I could see from my place in her arms.

They were all giants. I mean, they hold a 20 years old man like a… baby.

' _Oh-oh!'_

What if I am?

I should be dead, but I'm not! So the only logical conclusions would be:

1\. I'm dreaming and wake up in the next few moments (unlikely)

2\. I woke up from a coma after multiple years and giants are now common on earth (even more unlikely)

3\. I'm on really good drugs (the most unlikeliest)

4\. I died and was reborn and am now a baby (unlikely but the only possibility)

As soon as I took in the unfeasible yet somehow only possibility the woman above me, who was most likely my new mother, suddenly collapsed and a loud alarm sounded from right next to me.

The next thing I know is that someone, probably a nurse, took me away from there as I began to cry.

' _No! I don't want to go away from there! Please take me back to her! I don't want to be a baby again, but I want to be petted more!'_ And wasn't that just a pathetic thought for someone as old as me. But at that moment I didn't care. I wanted to go back to that woman! This was the only thing that counted.

But alas… I was just a baby. What could I in this tiny body accomplish? Absolutely nothing!

And so I was taken away from the only person that I wanted to be with, even though I didn't even know her. I was taken away from answers I wanted to get and from something that everybody should have to begin with. A mother.

I thought that even though I forgot my old mother I could begin life with a new one, but I didn't even get a name for me to forget. I already lost something that I didn't even know existed.

And as I was carried away I slowly cried myself to sleep, not even noticing the giant of a man standing opposite the doorway looking on apathetically as the woman I didn't know for long yet already cared for a little slowly succumbed to the strain of childbirth.

* * *

 **Time skip: 3 Years old**

* * *

As it turned out Tortuga D. Weiss was indeed the name given to me in this new life. At least it's a good name. I could have ended up with Ren. That'd have been bad and boring. It's just so ordinary, but that would have been the least of my worries. The first three years of my new life were not only a proverbial hell, but also a major embarrassment.

The first year was by far the worst. I slept most of the time and when I was awake I was either hungry or needed another diaper. The feeding was okay, even normal and since my mother in this life died nobody tried to breastfeed me, which was good, but the changing of the diaper was the most awkward thing to ever happen to me. It would be nothing for normal children, but for a 20 years old man in the body of a little baby it was the most uncomfortable experience of my life (old one and new one). Normally someone would forget these kinds of situations, but I don't think that I have that luxury.

There was one thing that seemed really strange to me:

I never got to see my new father. All the people I had even the tiniest contact with were the maids, so I assumed that we (my father and I) were rich and that that was the reason for my father's absence for the first year of my life. I simply assumed that he was busy and/or sad about the death of his wife and didn't want to see me, as the constant reminder of that fact.

That was one of the reasons that I hadn't much to do. Only sometimes the maids played with me, but every night they decided to read stories to me. I think that they wanted me to learn the language of this country, because every time they would read really slowly as if they were talking to an idiot or a baby. I didn't complain. It would become useful, if I have to live in this country.

Except for the time with the maids I spent almost always alone in my room. It wasn't a bad room, but if your only means for transportation is crawling, your choices of what to do in it are rather limited. The only thing that kept me sane was the story of One Piece. Even though it is sad that I couldn't remember more of my former life it was a godsend to remember at least this story.

So it came as no surprise that at the end of the first year I spoke my first word in the presence of my main maid during story time:

"P-p-piew-aate!"

It wasn't really my best performance, but I couldn't make it too perfect without arousing suspicion. It wasn't even strange that I spoke such a word, because many stories that the maids read to me were about Pirates and Marines. This was strange in itself, but I didn't (and couldn't) really question it. I was just really glad to have learned enough of the language to differentiate between several words and to understand the gist of what someone's trying to tell me.

From that moment on I could at least attempt some sort of communication with the maids, which was important. I wanted to know in what country we were and who my father was and so much more.

Imagine my surprise when I found out that I live on an island with the name Marineford and that my father is a Vice Admiral in the marine. What a coincidence, but I didn't really dwell on it. I mean, how likely would it be that I'm in the One Piece universe. Yeah, I know. Not very likely.

Well, at least I now knew the reason for the absence of my father.

The second and third years of this life were definitely easier. At the beginning of the second year I begun to walk and shortly thereafter to run, which gave many more opportunities to explore all around the house. I wasn't really allowed to leave the house, so I got bored really fast, but I always bugged the maids around the house to entertain me. I always felt sorry for the maids when they stopped what they had to do to keep me happy, but living as a kid was not as easy as some might think. Most of my time alone I spend trying to read the books that were left in my room, with minimal success. One of the things that I managed to do, was that I've written the story of One Piece in an empty notebook, so that I wouldn't forget. It was sloppy, as my penmanship was really bad, but it got the job done.

The most important day in my entire life up to this point was somewhere at the end of my second year, when I began with my long awaited potty training. I am proud to say that I passed with flying colors. I really am! It was an end to a daily torture that I had to endure for most of my new life. So I celebrated with my maids till I fell asleep, that night.

Since then, there wasn't really something noteworthy to report.

* * *

Until now!

It was February the 24. (a.k.a. my birthday) and today I would finally meet my father, Tortuga D. Kame!

I didn't really know what I should feel about that. On the one hand I was slightly anxious and nervous that I would finally meet my elusive father after three years of absence, but on the other hand I didn't really feel anything. Maybe it was expected of me to feel happy that he finally graces me with his presence or really angry, because he left me alone in the care of my maids without even visiting once, but I couldn't really bring myself to feel happy or angry. I didn't really know how to react. It was confusing! How was I supposed to feel for a father that I never met?

' _This is so strange!'_ were the only thoughts that rang through my head at the moment.

Here I was standing after being told to wait in the entrance hall for his arrival and had to wear these dumb clothes. I looked like a mini Marine soldier with this tiny uniform. I didn't even know that I had these, but my maid placed them on my bed this morning before telling me to wear this dumb thing. It was uncomfortable and itchy. Would my father really mind if I wore my everyday clothes? What did he even want from me? He never visited me before, so why was he here now?

Those questions would soon be answered however, because in just this moment someone opened the door. On every other day I would say it is one of the maids, but they all took the afternoon off from work, so…

' _So it's finally time. Great! Right at this moment the nervousness kicks in!'_

And there he stood. The man who, as far as I know, never even looked at his child, let alone held it. The man whose work is more important to him than said child.

The man who lost his wife in childbirth.

The man who was gigantic and looked just like me, except older. The same golden brown eyes, the same brown hair (that he wore as a ponytail) and the same somewhat round face (and aren't I glad, that I looked almost the same as in my other life).

He looked just like every other Vice Admiral that I saw when I sneaked out to explore Marineford. He had the same Admirals' jacket over his shoulders and beneath he wore a normal brown pin stripe suit with an orange-red tie over a white shirt. At his side was a gigantic sword that was almost as big as him. And that was big. He was at least 10 feet tall.

' _What the hell do they all eat that they get this big and how should I compete with that? I'm just 3' 4''! Now, that's just not fair!'_ I thought, even though I had more important things to worry about. Like, what does he want from me now after all this time? Or, why he just stands there staring at me with those emotionless brown orbs he calls eyes?

Well, I was no better. I schooled my expression from one of surprise to an emotionless mask and stared right back at him.

Let it never be said that I'm not stubborn. I'm not the one that has to speak here. He's the stranger here. Not me. I can't allow myself to show weakness, especially not in front of this man.

So we stood there for what felt like hours, but were nothing more than several minutes just staring at each other emotionless eyes. I nearly jumped out of my skin when he began to speak.

"Hello… Son." spoke his raspy, apathetic voice while he inclined his head a little.

' _Wow… what a heartfelt reunion.'_

"Father." I responded with just as much emotion as he, although it was slightly ruined because of my still high, childlike voice. I decided that I could at least muster enough manners to incline my head, also.

And wasn't that just awkward? He supposedly didn't see the need for more words as he strode into the house and right past me. I continued to stand there, a little dumbfounded.

' _Okay? That was even stranger. I thought that he would at least…'_ But my thoughts were interrupted by the clearing of his throat.

Turning around I saw him standing in the doorway to the dining room, motioning for me to follow him.

' _Should I play along for now? Eh… why not?'_ I shrugged and began to follow. Seeing that I did what he wanted me to do he turned back around and began to make his way to the head of the table, where the maids left a feast for his return. After we were seated and seeing that he didn't make the impression that he would move in the next few minutes I begun to help myself to the food that was left there (I'm Hungry! Sue me!).

After a while he began to eat himself. What was he waiting for? Did he think the food was poisonous and wanted to see what happened to me after eating it? Well, thanks for using your son as a food tester.

I never wished more for one of the maids to eat with me than now. They would tell me funny stories or the newest gossip of Marineford, if it was too silent at the table.

The silence right now was almost too much to bear, but I tried to ignore it as I continued to eat my way through the food on the table. In this new body I had a massive appetite. I think I could have eaten the feast alone, if it weren't for my father right next to me who ate at an even greater velocity. I didn't really question that. I mean, I had to have it from somewhere.

After finally finishing with the dinner we continued to sit there for a few minutes in silence. So it came as no surprise that the voice of my father startled me.

"Do you know how to swim?" I started to get frustrated with that voice.

' _You're talking to your son! Show some damn emotions! And yes, I know how to swim, but no thanks to you! The maids decided to teach me last month.'_ is what I'd like to say, but I knew better than to provoke him.

"Hai, father!" I said as confidently as possible and maybe I was even a little proud of that fact. Not many tree years old children can swim.

"Good! I'm going to take you with me on my next voyage!" And didn't that sound final. But why now?

"Father? Why now?" And I was genuinely curious.

I didn't even know him until this afternoon and he spoke just about 2-3 sentences with me. And now he wanted me to come with him to his work where I would most likely spend a few years on a ship (if his absence is any indication).

"You're now old enough for me to begin your training. After all, we want to make a respectable Marine out of you, don't we?"

"Of course, father." I tried to reply as enthusiastically as possible. I didn't have any inclination to ever be a Marine. It sounded so boring!

"Hn! We have a month before the ship sets sail, so… do whatever you want with that time." was his awkward answer. And as he stood up and began to leave the room I began to contemplate our conversation (if you can even call that a conversation).

Maybe that was the reason for the swim training that the maid insisted I should take, so that I could go with my father. Didn't they want me anymore with them or did they think that I should get to know my father?

Well, whatever the reason it looks like I would not see them for a while. And the prospect of being a Marine didn't really sound all that appealing, but I don't think that I should mention that in front of him. The maids freaked out after I told them.

That was also reason enough for me to never tell anyone of the Straw Hat Pirates and their adventures that I began to write down in good old English. It was a safety measure to ensure that nobody but me could read them. The sad part was that I couldn't remember every detail of it and that I only really remembered the story up to the Sabaody Archipelago Arc. My memory after they were forced apart by Kuma is just nonexistent. But I take what I can. It's not like it would help me in life, but it takes the boredom away.

That was the only time we really spoke to each other and it brought with it the most uncomfortable time that I spent in this house. We ate in silence and only inclined our heads in greeting when we ran into one another. The maids tried to make it bearable for me (and for them, I guess), but it wasn't as easy as I would've liked it to be. Time began to crawl and I tried desperately to find something to do as the deadline got nearer and nearer.

I was almost relieved when it was finally time to depart. I gave my maids one last heartfelt goodbye and made my way to the harbor right next to my father.

Little did I know that it would be the last time I would see Marineford for a very long while.

* * *

 **Time skip: 5 years old**

* * *

My fifth birthday was the day that I finally realized that I was in the One Piece world. There were clues, but I just didn't want to believe it.

For the last two years I did nothing but train with my father and learn how to steer a ship. Let me tell you, it was tiring. My father wanted me to begin some hardcore training program when I turn five, so the last two years were there for him to get me into shape for it. He however had a second wish. According to him all males in the family were Marine soldier and had very prestigious positions. He wanted me to carry on the tradition.

Yay!

My father didn't get more talkative while I was with him 24/7. That was somehow sad. Not for me! I was a 25 years old in a 5 years old body, but for a man to not be able to talk to his only son was very sad indeed.

The only thing positive about this situation was that I got to know my father's Marine soldiers. Just because I couldn't really talk to my father, doesn't mean that I had to isolate myself from the others on the ship. I was curious. In my last life I was never on a ship (at least I can't remember it), so I asked everyone about the various positions on a ship and if they differ from the positions on a Pirate ship.

(It wasn't weird that I asked about Pirates here. I saw some every other day. Of course I did never talk to them (they were destroyed by us, you know), but it was interesting to see them.)

And as I learned everything about how a crew works and how to do various jobs around the ship, I got trained into the ground by my father. He made me work till I passed out. Sometimes I had a broken bone or a torn muscle, but he didn't relent in his harshness. You can guess that he and I didn't have the best father-son relationship.

"You will thank me later for it, son! Be happy I'm not your grandfather!" was all he always told me before he let my broken body lying on the cold, hard floor of the dojo inside the ship ( _'Why did this sound familiar?'_ ).

' _Yeah, because some geezer can be worse than you, old man!'_ were all the thoughts I could muster every time, before passing out from exhaustion.

In contrast to my rebellious thoughts I tried to behave myself as much as possible when I was among the crew. It was expected of me to behave myself as the son of a Vice Admiral and it was easier to get what I wanted from the crew when I was polite.

And because of all that I got the day off today, which should have been excepted because it is my birthday, but it wasn't. I could talk some cabin boy into taking over my duties today and my father gave me the whole week off, because he wants to begin with this special training sometime next week. I know of course that he expected me to train a little every day (to stay in shape), but I got permission to explore the island we docked at without the fear of passing out this evening because of a training session with my father.

* * *

So here I am. Roaming through the big jungle that was situated right next to the port as I slowly whistled a tune that I heard one of my maids at Marineford sing.

This was my first time going off alone since boarding the ship. One of the Marines was always told to chaperone me, so that I didn't get lost. It was annoying, but I accepted it. It was either that or being confined to the ship.

It was an hour later that I finally decided to rest. The weather today was just too hot and stuffy that I decided to eat and drink something before proceeding with my walk. I found a small clearing not too far from my position, but as I sat down I noticed that I forgot my provisions on board.

' _What a rookie mistake.'_ was the only thing going through my head as I began to search for something edible or drinkable.

The only thing I found was this odd bush that grows in the middle of the clearing. It was about as big as me (3' 10'') and the only thing growing out of it was an orange fruit that looked like a really big lemon, almost as big as my head. It had these weird, red cell-shaped patterns on it and its only connection with the bush was a strange looking white stem that came out of its side.

' _I didn't know that such a fruit existed. At least I think it is a fruit. Oh well… who cares? I'm hungry as hell and don't want to make the one hour trip back to the harbor to eat! And it smells so delicious!'_ I exclaimed as I slowly bit into the fruit.

' _That was definitely a mistake'_ I choked as I tried to spit it out again.

I was too late. Now I have this devil of a fruit inside me! The rest of the fruit found itself being acquainted with my foot.

"Die you evil thing! You entice me with your delicious exterior and when I grace you with the honor of being my snack you betray me? Shame on you and your family for this slight!" So I was a little too dramatic. Sue me. It was nasty!

' _With this my tour of the jungle is ruined'_ I complained as I began to head back to the ship.

* * *

Being welcomed back with a punch to the head was nothing new, but nevertheless surprising and unexpected. It always happened if I was too late to something.

What was even more unexpected than the hit was the fact that, as soon as it happened, I felt the left side of my body go really cold and briefly vibrate.

' _Great job, old man! Now I have brain damage thanks to you!'_ was what I wanted to say, but the only thing that penetrated the sudden silence was a twin cry of:

""I-Itai! What was that for? I wasn't late! I didn't even have a time limit!"" _'Two voices?'_

""Wait… what? Is someone mocking me? How dare you!"" I looked around at the dumbfounded faces of my father and his underlings.

""No, seriously! Stop that!"" And that is when I glanced to my left, seeing an identical copy of me. Like a clone.

""Who are you? Why do you look like me? And can you please stop talking?"" And that was the last straw for some of the Marines around us. Peals of laughter reverberated on the once silent deck and followed us as my father hefted both me and this imposter under his arms and began the familiar track to his office on board. It was allegedly really funny to see two identical five year olds speaking in tandem while they pointed at each other with angry faces.

* * *

' _Being the son of a vice admiral sure has benefits'_ I thought as I lay on my bed in my own room. My father and I were the only ones with a room for themselves. And even though the room was almost completely bare I was thankful for the silence it insured me. It helped me coming to terms with what happened after being carted off by my father to his office.

* * *

 **Flashback**

""Oomph!"" was the sound of the air leaving our lungs as we impacted on the hard floor.

 _'Gee thanks, old man. Just what I needed. Another bruise. How did you know that I wanted just that for my birthday'_ I thought while rubbing the bruise that started to form on the top of my head on which I landed.

"Sit! Both of you!" And I was intelligent enough to know when I was given an order and it appeared that the imposter was too, because not a second later he and I both complied with the "request".

And as I sat there waiting for my father to start speaking I began to look around his office.

It was the most boring room on the ship. A normal sized window across from the door with a hard wood desk standing before it. An average looking big chair behind and two before it was all that was in the room (if you didn't count the potted plants in the corners). It was just so… bare!

It wasn't my first time seeing it. Sometimes when my father thought it important enough he would take me to it and started his "lesson". It was almost always boring crap about _"Absolute Justice this… Never show a pirate mercy that…"_ It was more of an attempted brainwashing session, but I got to spend some time with the old man, so it was bearable. At least I thought as much.

Coming back to the present I began to notice the tension in the room. It wasn't the nicest atmosphere to have a "friendly chat". Oh well…

""Father? Who is this?"" cue twin glare.

""AND WOULD YOU FINALLY STOP?! Damn it!"" _'Wow that got annoying rather quickly.'_

"ENOUGH! I want both of you to be quiet! You'll only talk when I say so! Is this clear?!" _'Jeesh! Talk about constipation. Hehe.'_ I mentally laughed at my joke.

""H-hai!"" _'This gets kind of creepy!'_ was all I could think about with the order of my father hanging over my head.

"Hn! Now. I want to know what happened today and I want the truth, so speak!"

""W-well, you see… I was-"" _'Yep! Definitely creepy.'_

"Not both of you!" he growled out between clenched teeth. "You, with the brown eyes! Start talking!" He was not a patient man, if you can't already tell by yourself.

' _Wait… what? Brown eyes? Now that he mentions it… This imposter's eyes are white. So the old man means me? Hmmm…?'_ And I think the imposter comprehended that too, because he instantly gone silent.

"Well, I was enjoying my little one week vacation from training," cue glare in his direction. "when I came across a clearing and decided to rest. As I accidentally forgot my lunch on the ship I decided to search for something in this jungle to eat or drink. The only thing I found was this awful tasting fruit growing out of this bush. After finding nothing more to eat I decided to head back to the ship in order to eat something decent." I rushed through that explanation, because I didn't want to test his patience that was already wearing thin.

"After that… w-well… you should know better than I what happened. I don't even know anything about this guy except the fact that he looks just like me! I don't even know why we are here. In your office!" I sincerely replied. Anything but the truth would have earned me another punch to the head.

"F-fruit? What fruit? What did it look like? How do you feel?" was that concern that I heard in his voice? NO! MOTHERFUCKING! WAY!

That would be a first. _'I think my brain melted just a little bit'_

"E-eh?! A-hem! Yes! The fruit! W-what did it look like again? It was orange… I think. It had weird red patterns on it and… and a white stem that came out of its side! And w-well… I feel… fine? Why? What's wrong?"

' _Except for this confusing behavior of yours, old man! It's disconcerting!'_

"Can you verify his claims?" My father's once more businesslike voice was directed at my lookalike.

"What are you talking about? He wasn't there, was he?" "Yes, father. The same happened to me."

' _FATHER?!'_ I wanted to scream.

"FATHER?!" and scream I did. "Since when do you have children other than me? And how did I never notice him until now? I mean, he looks exactly like me except for the eyes! You can't just hide someone like that!"

"You were not given permission to speak right now!" he calmly replied even thought I could see a little anger under the surface of his apathetic mask.

"…"

"As you should know I have no other children besides you. I brought you both here because he," at this point he pointed his hand at my clone "came out of you!" and now he was pointing at me. _'Joy! I still don't understand.'_

And as if those exact thoughts could be read on my face (which wasn't difficult due to my confused expression) he gave me the answer I was looking for while rummaging in one of his desk drawers.

"I'm fairly certain that you ate an Akuma no Mi, a Devil Fruit while you had your "vacation"." At this point he extracted an old looking tome from his desk and handed it to me.

"And I'm also 100% sure that your "clone" is a byproduct of said fruit being digested by you!" he reasoned as if unperturbed by the whole thing.

"I want the two of you to go to your room at once and sort through the book in search for the Devil Fruit you ate. It should help you in ascertaining your new abilities." I could only nod dumbfoundedly while cradling the tome to my chest. I couldn't really believe what I just heard as it would change... absolutely everything. I don't think that I can handle that right now.

"It's a shame that you can't swim anymore, but the Rokushiki training regime that begins next week should help you in keeping up with the normal recruits. Many skilled Marines have devil fruit abilities, so don't become discouraged! Don't even think about using it as an excuse to slack off!"

' _Wai- Wha- How? What? Huh?!'_ were the eloquent thoughts going through my head at that exact moment and if the expression on my clones face was any indication, his weren't really better coordinated.

"Now off you go, you two! I still have work left to do." He ordered.

' _At least some things stay the same!'_ were my last thoughts as the door fell into the lock.

 **Flashback end**

* * *

After that nothing "much" happened.

We (my clone and I) took off in the direction of my room in silence. While we walked I decided to peruse a little in the tome my father let me take with me. It had a whole collection of recorded and assumed devil fruits listed (with pictures. YAY!). It wouldn't even be that difficult to search for the one I supposedly ate, if it wasn't for my still overwhelmed thoughts.

From what I gathered from the conversation I had with my father a few things rang clear:

1\. I was in the One Piece world. (How else would the existense of Devil Fruits be explained?)

2\. I ate one of those so called Akuma no Mi (which would at least explain my clone "rationally")

3\. My father was a vice admiral of THE Marines (which wasn't exactly new, but…)

4\. I get to learn Rokushiki (which was always a dream of mine)

5\. I didn't want to be a Marine! (In the story they sucked major ass)

I was so deep in thoughts that I didn't even notice my clone stop in his course. What ensure was both hilarious (from an outsider's perspective) and slightly unnerving.

As soon as I walked into him we toppled together on the floor. After a few seconds of lying on top of him I began to feel a familiar cold and vibrating feeling from where our bodies touched each other. My clone began to give of a weak light as he slowly began to think into my body.

With the cold and vibrating sensation came various memories of the meeting we just had which was slightly of putting, but didn't leave any ill after effects. After the lightly nauseating experience I began to once again take off to my room with the book in tow. This time slightly afraid of touching anything.

* * *

After breaking down on my bed I began to frantically search the book for any clues as to which devil fruit I ate. Several minutes later I found exactly what I was looking for:

 **Kurōn-Kurōn no Mi**

 **Clone-Clone Fruit**

 **Class: Paramecia**

 **User: Unknown** _'Well… not anymore'_ I thought sardonically.

' _Well if that doesn't finalize it, what does?'_ and weren't these just they most joyful thoughts I ever had… not!

As soon as I determined the Devil Fruit I left the tome on my bed in search for my notes of one of the only things I still remember from my past life: The story of One Piece.

Making my way to the desk on far side of my room I began to rummage for those notes in one of its drawers. These notes not only held all the adventures till the SA Arc, but also all relevant information that I could still recall, such as a rough timeline of the events leading to Luffy's departure from his home island.

I somehow had to find out when the hell I am!

The only blessing that I could detect was that it didn't seem like he already gathered his crew. My father would've bitched about such a new upstart. And even if that were the case I don't think that I could really do something seeing that I'm just five years old.

And as I lay down for the night, completely aware of the fact that I most likely wouldn't sleep out of excitement, I couldn't help but find it amusing that my father's going to train me to be Elite Marine soldier, while I fully planned to live life free as a Pirate. It would both be the best prank ever played and the most efficient payback to my father I could muster at the same time.

But the most important question was if I should play by the book or change a few things along the way?

' _You know what? Screw everyone and especially the story! I'm going to join the Straw hat pirates on their adventure and I'm going to Rock the shit out of it. Come to think about it. I think the Straw Hats lack a decent Helmsman. And who's better suited for the position than someone who can multiply. Hehe!'_

* * *

 **Time skip: 12 Years old**

* * *

Sometimes I wondered why every major event until now always happened on my birthday. First was the death of my new mother then the meeting with my father when I was three. With five I ate a devil fruit and now on my twelfth birthday I stood before the broken and dead body of my father. It was a little ironic.

Somehow I was the only survivor on the entire ship. Believe me, I checked.

We were somewhere in the new world on the command of Fleet Admiral Sengoku in order to annihilate some Pirate crew. I didn't pay attention when the order was given, as I was not an official member on the crew. I did any odd jobs here and there or helped with the steering of the ship with some of my clones (I could make up to three clones at once).

My father was confident that he and his crew were enough to accomplish the task given to him. And what a misconception it was.

We arrived like planned. We attacked like planned. And we lost. Our information was flawed. One of the Pirates had a Devil Fruit ability, one that we couldn't take head on like we planned. It was no surprise that this Pirate crew made it all the way to the New World, especially a Pirate crew who had a captain with the Kaze-Kaze no Mi on board.

We (read: all Marines on board) were annihilated within the first 30 minutes of the fight. And what a massacre it was. I will likely never forget their Pirate flag. This ugly round looking skull with wavy green hair that floats in an invisible wind and covers one its eyes with it. It would likely haunt me till the end of my days.

Somehow I had the fortune of only being knocked unconscious, if you can call it that after waking up surrounded by dead bodies and blood on every surface of the deck. It was something straight out of a nightmare and I threw up at least 5 times until I was empty.

The sight of many different and mangled body parts strewn around almost every surface would forever be ingrained in my mind as if burned right in it.

But it didn't mean that I stopped to mourn the loss of the crew. I wasn't really emotionally attached to them, because I knew that we would be enemies once I started out as a pirate, but I liked them enough to let my tears fall. You can't help but to at least tolerate someone when you're sailing with them for years. And I had the emotionally body of a little child at the time.

I looked around for enemies, but it seems as if the pirates vanished without a trace while I was knocked out and as I tried to get my bearings back I thought about the fact that I couldn't possibly move that ship on my own. Even with my clones it would be a close call and relied mostly on luck and skill (that I obtained during my training). I could only manage a slight grim smile as I saw that the sail was mostly intact which in itself was a small miracle.

" **Kurōn-Kurōn no Torio"** Where there was only one before, were now four. All four of us with a different eye color each. I found out that every clone that I make has an alternate personality which was represented by the eye color. You can't imagine how annoying it can get when you have to argue with yourself, just because the reason for making it offends the clone. It's always the red eyed ones that do that!

As luck would have it I didn't need to order them around. I was telepathically connected to all of them, which was both a blessing and a curse.

As I somehow managed to get the ship moving again I thought about my years after ingesting the Kurōn-Kurōn no Mi as I tried to distract myself from the surrounding blood bath.

* * *

They were odd to say the least, but I got a handle on the approximate time in that I arrived. I discovered that I would be about 20 when Luffy sets sail from his island.

When I was seven I overheard a call to my father:

Fisher Tiger broke the slaves out of Mariejois, which happened about 13 years before the story begins. Sometimes I loved the fact that I made some notes when I was young. Without them I would be lost!

Of course this wasn't the only thing that happened in the last few years.

The training got tougher (which I couldn't believe at first) and it showed that my father really only trained me since I was three to teach the Rokushiki to me. Somehow I was grateful to him, even though I couldn't really show it. We had a mutual agreement with each other. He would train me to be a good Marine (read: Pirate) and I would not complain and give it my best. He was a little naive if he thought I would want to be a marine, even though I never believed in his flawed (for me at least) sense of justice.

He made it clear that I had to train my Devil Fruit abilities by myself, because he didn't want to and couldn't help me with them (it sounded more like an excuse than anything else). But he trained me nonetheless in the Rokushiki and for that I was grateful to him.

The first power he began teaching me was **Soru**. It was tiring to say the least. You somehow had to kick the ground at least ten times in the time needed for only once. There were day were I couldn't walk anymore and just passed out wherever he decided to train me at the time. At least my leg strength increased. It took me about three and a half years to somehow master it. I still would have to work on it, but he said that he couldn't teach me more about it as I had to master it by myself.

The second power I decided on was **Shigan**. It was less tiring than Soru, but I broke my fingers at least 74 times till I got it down without injuries. It was by far the most painful of the powers (my opinion), but it was worth it in the long run. It was especially useful when combined with my ability to make clones. Like with Soru I had to master it on my own, but it took me two years to be at least proficient in it.

The third and last power that I learned from my father was **Kami-e**. It was useful as fuck if you had to fight multiple enemies at once or a long range specialist. It was also the most boring power to learn, as I had to mediate to get it down. The problem with that was in the application. You somehow had to respond to the wind movements in the air and bend according to them. I was so grateful when I found out I was already flexible enough to make it work. The exercises my father showed me would have been torture if I weren't. I didn't have the time to master it, as my father was still in the process of teaching as he died. I only had one and a half year experience with it.

But the most useful thing (for me) out of all the lessons I received were the lessons of steering the ship. The soldiers in charge of that let me intrude on their workspace as I observed and imitated them.

My clones were especially useful in that endeavor as I received all memories, knowledge and skills from them after I absorbed them. It gave me a huge benefit, because I could train with my father and learn about how to handle a ship at the same time. The only problem was that I couldn't train my body with them, although I could receive muscle memory.

And those are the exact skills that I used to follow the eternal pose back to Marineford to report the loss of the crew. It wasn't really a good day for me.

' _Fuck me sideways!'_ were one of my last thoughts before concentrating on steering the ship out of the area we were attacked in, leaving behind one of the bloodiest and deadliest seas in the world. The only evidence of our "visit" there were the few floating limbs of the soldiers that fell of the ship in the chaos of the attack.

Knowing that the Straw Hats would eventually enter the New World made me cringe somehow (it wasn't in my notes, but Luffy wanted the One Piece, so...).

 _'Oh well...'_ I thought as the ship steadily got faster. _'I just have to train harder!'_

* * *

It took 23 days.

23 of the hardest and worst days of my life.

Before the pirates vanished the apparently raided all the food in the kitchens. That combined with four hungry men (as my clones needed food like everyone else) was a proverbial hell.

We starved.

We starved and somehow had to make our way back. The only thing holding us up was the combined willpower to make our dream come true. To sail with the Straw Hat Pirates.

The normally so talkative and complaining clones were quiet. They were aware of the importance of surviving by any means necessary, which was a blessing (sometimes they wouldn't shut up), as it was already bad enough that we looked like walking skeletons ( _'Ah, Brook...'_ ).

It would only be a few more hours and I would be back at the place I used to call home, before my father took me with him. Only a few more hours and we could finally eat. We could finally hope to find some decent sleep. And we could finally just let go for a while.

We couldn't even sleep enough. Every time someone of us tried it, they either had nightmares about what happened on the ship or had to wake up right away, because the stormy sea demanded it. It was bad enough to have to steer the ship with only four people, but when one of us tried to sleep and the sea decided to be bitchy at that exact moment it was way worse.

Normally I could just absorb my clones, so that they wouldn't waste food/energy, but in this situation they would just transfer their starving over to me. It would probably kill me on the spot, so I decided that they should just eat themselves to sleep when we were at our destination. I mean, they deserved it! They suffered just as much as me.

They were with me the last 23 days and they will still be with me for the last few hours.

You may ask how I knew that it would only take just a few more hours, but the answer is simple.

We just past the Gate of Justice that led to Marineford, after giving confirmation of our affiliation with the marines. ( _'Isn't a Den-Den-Mushi practical?'_ )

* * *

 **Flashback**

*Peru-peru-peru-peru-peruuuu* *Peru-peru-peru-peru-peruuuu*

' _W-what? What is that? Am I hallucinating again? Please be something nice!'_ I thought dazedly as I lay next to the main mast with my clones. I felt beyond exhausted. We were all much too tired last night and fell asleep at the same time. We woke up halfway through a storm and somehow had to pull through it.

*Peru-peru-peru-peru-peruuuu* *Peru-peru-peru-peru-peruuuu*

I felt one of my clones next to me slowly stand up, before I saw him reaching out to the metal cabinet that was imbedded in the mast, out of the corner of my eyes.

' _So I wasn't hallucinating? What a relief!'_ was the first pleasant thought that ran through my mind. I didn't have one of those in a while.

*Kat-cha*

"Y-yeah?! Who's speakin'?" demanded my clone grumpily from the little snail. Great! It was the red eyed one. The aggressive one. That could end badly.

"Here is the Marine HQ" clang a much too masculine voice out of the little bugger as I slowly made my way over there.

"H-here speaks Tortuga D. Weiss, son of vice admiral Tortuga D. Kame" I decided to speak up while waving my clone away. It didn't look too pleased about that as he grumbled on his way to his earlier spot. Or it could be his stomach. Who knew?

"You are about to come up to one of the Gates of Justice in a few hours. We request to speak to the Captain of your vessel to confirm your affiliation with the Marines." _'Great, just what I needed!'_

"There might be a… problem with that." came my nervous reply.

"What kind of problem could there possibly be?" and didn't he sound rightly snobby? That was kind of rude of him.

"The kind of problem where the Captain went KIA." was my terse answer. I didn't know why I'm so high strung at the moment and this conversation didn't help at all.

"…" it seems that I made him speechless.

"Then I would request to speak with the First mate of your crew." he sounded almost subdued.

' _Great! Now I feel sorry for him! Poor guy! Probably didn't expect to hear of my father's death. It can be quite shocking, I imagine.'_ and I was really sorry. It is rather unexpected to hear of the death of a Vice Admiral. _'I wonder how he will react to the rest of my "report"?'_

"Also went KIA." I tried to sound as apathetic as I could, but if the slight tremble in my voice was any indication I didn't quite succeed.

"A-ah… Is there any high ranking Officer on board that I _could_ speak with?" he sounded both agitated and professional at the same time. How he managed that I don't know.

"Ehm… no. There is just me on the ship." I nervously began, "On the last mission that was directly assigned to us by the Fleet Admiral the entire crew was annihilated by the target of said assignment.

I… I'm the only one left. I steered this vessel with the help of my Devil Fruit ability up to this point and request the opening of the gate to report the incident!" my voice grew steadily stronger as continued to speak, but almost sounded begging at the end.

"I-I u-understand! P-please pass on the identification code of your vessel and I see about opening it." His voice sounded really shaken at this point. I wasn't surprised. He just learned of the annihilation of an at least 200 men strong crew.

"Hai! Let me see… hmm… Ah! It's _GMO-60277539_!" _'And wasn't that a bitch to remember when you haven't eaten for 23 days.'_ But the last part went unsaid. He didn't have to know how long I've gone without food. That was my surprise for them.

"Confirmed! Proceed with your ship towards the gate. I will commence with the opening of it."

"Thanks!" and I was truly thankful. I could finally relax for a little while.

I hang up the receiver (*Kling*) and slumped with my back against the mast in a relieved motion.

' _Just a few more hours!'_

 **Flashback end**

* * *

The opening of the Gate was one of the most precious sights to see. How I longed for one of these Gates while I struggled to survive in the sea. I would have cried, if I wasn't so dehydrated. I was lucky that the pirates left at least a little bit of water, but even that little of an amount ran out after 16 days.

' _Just wait for me Marineford! I'll be back soon!'_ I thought as I managed a tired chuckle.

* * *

The meeting with the Fleet Admiral was… strange. To say the least.

I never met Sengoku personally, but I heard _of_ him and I saw how he looked in the anime and the manga. It was spot on.

It was the first time that I met someone from the series that I could remember. It was really cool, but also really nerve wrecking.

He looked even scarier than he appears in the story. I fully understood why he came to his position as Fleet Admiral. One look of him could freeze you on the spot. And I always thought that was Aokiji's shtick.

He didn't even extend the courtesy of a meal or a short rest. As soon as the ship docked (this time with the help of some Marines) I was summoned to his office. It didn't look much better than my fathers, but it was bigger. Much bigger!

As soon as I and my clones entered we were promptly ushered to the seats in front of his desk. We didn't even have the chance and time to sit down as the questioning began.

We reported all that we could remember and even our speculations of what happened while we were unconscious.

I think somewhere in the middle of our report he finally noticed our condition as he abruptly stopped us mid-sentence and ordered someone to at least bring some food and drinks as he didn't want us to collapse in the middle of it.

He gave us a little time to refill our energy and proceeded right after we finished with the "conversation". It was easier after I decided to absorb my clones back into me after they were fed and watered. It had the benefit of a more thorough report and slightly lesser mental strain. It was draining to have the clones out for so long.

It went quicker after that and after nearly an hour more I was released from the meeting and admitted in the infirmary before I slept for three days straight.

* * *

I might have woken up a few times to let somebody feed me, but I only fully awoke on the third day of my hospitalization when I felt the most powerful presence I've ever encountered. And as I encountered Sengoku after my arrival it was astonishing to imagine someone stronger.

As I blinked the last few remains of sleepiness away I slowly looked up at the man standing before my hospital bed. He was tall (taller than my father), really old and had a massive frame. It was impressive that a man of his age still appeared to be this muscular.

' _He looks like a gorilla.'_

His face had a (permanent) scowl plastered on it and I had to wonder how this man could be even scarier than the Fleet Admiral himself. He had white hair that stuck out of his had as multiple scone like shapes which were in a row from the front to the back of his head. Even his beard that was just as white was in a similar style. His mouth however was compared to his face rather big and his eyes rather small.

And it were these eyes that starred right through me and straight into my soul, as if he could unravel all my secrets with just one glance.

The silence that ensued after our eyes met each other was tense and slightly unnerving, so I decided to speak.

"Yo!" was the most casual response I could muster. It was followed with a confused blink and a lazy wave from me to emphasize this casualness that I didn't really feel.

"Hn." and didn't he just sound like my father? Not even his posture changed

"Wow… ok? Can I help you?" I sincerely asked. I mean he doesn't even move an inch. It's creepy!

"Follow me!" _'Yep! Just like my father. Apathetic and no apparent manners when it comes to the injured'_ I sighted and made to follow him. It wasn't easy. I was still weak and even a bit of sleep was not enough to restore my strength.

On the way to wherever he was leading me not one word was spoken between us. It wasn't even a pleasant silence that would sometimes happen between friends. It was just as tense as before. He more and more resembled my father. _'To think that there are two them. Well… now just one.'_

While we walked we went right past gawking marine soldiers. It was annoying!

' _What are they fucking gawking at?! Is it so strange to see a kid following some stranger? Whoa… that sounded way too… weird.'_

I was a little apprehensive. It wasn't really unexpected as I just arrived after days on sea, but it was unpleasant to feel that way. The powerful "aura" that this man emitted also didn't help me to feel relaxed. It made it worse.

This tense atmosphere continued on even as we stepped into what I assumed was his office. It was big! Even bigger than the office of Fleet Admiral Sengoku. The whole wall behind the desk was made out of glass. It had a lovely view of all of Marineford. You could even see the Gate of Justice, in the distance which was remarkable, if you take into account that it was a few hours away (not at full speed of a marine vessel, but...).

As I observed his office which was just as empty as my father's I didn't even notice him sitting down before the gigantic window.

"Ahemm!" was his idea of drawing attention to him. And it worked.

He gestured to the chair opposite of him and as I made to sit down upon it I finally got a good look of his clothes. He wore a red shirt that looked like it would explode any minute now. Right above his heart was a medal that was pinned to his shirt. Around his neck was a loosely wrapped yellow scarf. But that wasn't the first thing you would notice about him.

Because all that was half hidden beneath an Admirals coat. I didn't realize it before as I was still sleepy, but now that I was fully awake it stood out to me.

As I came back to the present I noticed that he observed me as well which was slightly uncomfortable, so I decided to speak up.

"So… What did you want from me? More importantly, who are you?" I bravely asked him. It wasn't that I was afraid, but he unnerved me.

"Hn. I'm the World Government Commander-in-Chief." was this guy's apathetic reply. Did he have to be so much like my father?

'So he is someone important? Figures! He at least has the looks of someone important.'

"Ah… Hey!" was my awkward response. What could someone say to that?

"I spoke with the brat Sengoku, but I would like to hear from _you_ what happened out there." He grumbled. And wasn't he respectful when speaking of the Fleet Admiral?

' _Again? Ough! Is it really necessary? I didn't even get to eat something! Well, fuck!'_

And so I recounted the brave tale of my adventure in the New World (please note the sarcasm). It was easier than the first time with Sengoku. Maybe it was the three days of sleep or that it was already the second time that I told it to anyone. Whatever it was I appreciated it.

* * *

Afterwards I was mentally exhausted. It may have been easier, but it was still nerve wrecking. The most nerve wrecking thing however was the fact that the man that sat opposite of me didn't move at all. If I didn't know any better I would have thought that he was sleeping. It was only his soul searching eyes that belied this notion. They didn't give much notion of what he might have thought, but there was something in them that I couldn't determine.

And particularly when I mentioned the death of my father I saw something like sadness in them, but it was gone just as soon as it appeared, so I wasn't certain that I didn't just imagine it.

"Good! You can go." His voice roused me out of my thoughts.

As I made my way to the door he suddenly stopped me once more.

"Your things were moved to my home. The maid in charge of it will come by the infirmary later today to pick you up. She is aware of your… condition and saw to it that the kitchen is fully stocked. It should be to your satisfaction."

' _Condition? Does he mean my starved appearance? And why should I go to him of all people?'_

"If I may ask, why am I to be relocated to your home? As far as I'm aware we have no familial connection to each other."

He halted his pen before it could reach the paper, unperturbed by the ink that fell from it, because of the sudden stop. He slowly looked me in the eyes as he laid the pen down and sighted once before he took a breath to speak.

"I… Your father was my only son. I deem it to be only proper to take you in." he sounded as exhausted as I felt earlier. It was weird to see a man of his position so… weak.

' _Of course! That explain-… WHAT?! HE IS MY GRANDFATHER?!'_

"Y-y-y-you a-are my G-g-grandfather?!" I somehow got out between the stuttering. I felt like a fool. _'H-how did I not know? And why didn't somebody tell me?'_

"Hn. Yes. As I said, your father was my son. My name is Tortuga D. Kong. Now get out! I have to finish this paperwork before my next meeting." He sounded so tranquil as he said that. As if it was the most normal thing in the world to drop such a bomb.

"H-hai!" I saluted before I bolted out of there.

' _This is just too much! At least it explains the similarities…'_ I thought as I ran back to my bed in the infirmary to bury myself under the blanket.

* * *

 **Time skip: 17 years old**

* * *

It's my seventeenth birthday and I decided to go out to sea and become a pirate. I choose this day especially because Luffy started his adventure with seventeen and if I wanted to be useful to his crew, I would have to gather more experience with the work of a helmsman.

No one knew that this was my goal. They all thought that I wanted to travel the world, to get to know new cultures. They were naive.

Although I got the feeling that my grandfather somehow knew of my plans he hadn't tried to prevent me from going. Maybe he thought that I would grow tired of playing pirate or he genuinely had no idea. Whichever it was I was grateful to him.

The relationship between my grandfather and me was… refreshing. He often behaved just like my father, but when we two warmed up to each other he was much more emotional. It wasn't much, but it showed that he was fond of me. I liked him. He wasn't the one responsible for the fact that I never met him before. My father was. Just as he was responsible for the fact that I never met even him until I was three.

As soon as I was physically capable for it he started my training anew. He continued on from where my father left me. And my father was so wrong! I liked training with my grandfather more than with him! Especially because he helps me with my Devil Fruit ability, seeing that he has experience in it (he ate a Gorilla Zoan fruit).

I also made major progress with the Rokushiki.

I finally completed my **Kami-e** training. His method of completing the single steps where much easier to accomplish. Meditation was still a huge part in the whole process, but he made the atmosphere much more relaxing than my father.

He wanted me to first learn Tekkai, but after he saw that I already started on three other powers decided to finish them first. Of course he began right after I finished his training in them. According to him it was a foolish thing to start with anything other than Tekkai (it would train the whole body, which would make the other powers quicker to learn).

I cursed my father at that point in time. He could have told me that when I decided on them.

His training for **Tekkai** was freaking hellish. First I had to train the separate muscle groups. I somehow hope that that would make me buff, but nope. I still retained my slender physique. I was happy that I at least had a six pack (even if it wasn't as visible as I'd like it). It also didn't impair my flexibility which I needed for Kami-e.

After that step was complete I had to train to endure physical hit. That was the only time that I somehow despised him, because he was the one who would do the hitting and kicking. He said, that he couldn't trust someone other than him to do it right. I think he just enjoyed it a little. Although it took me all five years that I had with him to be somehow proficient with it, he simultaneously trained me with the last two forms of the Rokushiki.

The one he decided to teach me first was **Geppo**. He reasoned that it would help me when I was about to fall into the ocean, which would literally kill me. It was not as difficult as I was led to believe, especially because of my training in Soru. It followed the same principal. I just had to kick the air fast and often. Like Soru, but faster, so that it builds up friction in the air.

 **Rankyaku** was perhaps the easiest to master. It could have been so for everyone or because I already completed the training for Geppo and Soru. My leg strengths sky rocked after those two. After that it was just a matter of swinging my legs fast enough to cause an effect.

The training of those three powers took up most of my time at Marineford which led to a somewhat isolated life with my grandfather and his maids.

Which led me to this point in time.

* * *

I didn't bother saying goodbye to my grandfather. I don't think that I could've a quiet goodbye with him there. And all men should have silent goodbyes.

I didn't even pack all that much. I had a few clothes, supplies and my notes of the story with me. I didn't need more. At least I hoped so.

I had the good fortune to get a ride to the East Blue with a Marine vessel. It was the same vessel Captain Smoker had the command of. It was interesting to see him and he was a cool guy. He looked very much the same as in the manga and anime and had a cool outlook on the justice system of the marines. He had his own justice that he followed.

' _It will be an interesting journey. I wonder how Smokes reacts to me going the Pirate route? I would pay to see his face when he realizes it. It would be fucking hilarious!'_ and as I had these thoughts the ship began to move and my journey began.

It would only be 2-3 years till I can finally sail on the future Pirate Kings ship.

'I can hardly wait!'

* * *

 **So… that was my second chapter. :D**

 **Seeing as the first was a little short I decided to write a bit more.**

 **As you see in this chapter I decided to give a little background info on the life of** **Tortuga D. Weiss** **. That was of course not all that there was in his life, but should the situation require it I'm most likely going to use Flashbacks.**

 **I really hope that you enjoy it and that my original scenes are good enough for you.  
Writing should also get easier after the next chapter, because then I can follow canon events.**

 **Please tell me what you think of it. :D  
Criticism is welcome, but flames are unnecessary.**

 **Ciao,**

 **Eladrien**


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